Her grandfather was going on and on about how they had to be really careful now. That if something ‘got out’ they would all be in trouble. And that he wasn’t interested in spending the rest of his life in prison. That they had to act really fast to make this go away now and everything. She heard the phone ring, too. And heard him saying something, telling someone they had tofix this before it spiraled out of control.
And took them all down and everything.
He had done something reallybad.But Riely still didn’t know how to prove it.
Her grandfather’s friends left. She was supposed to be sleeping now. Grandpa would probably check on her before he went to bed—he did that almost every night, even at her age.
Bo had the night off.
She was glad. He was really creepy. She didn’t like him one bit. And it made it really hard for her to spy on her grandfather when Bo was around and everything. She looked at the photo on her phone. It was the last one she had taken ofhimbefore he’d died. It was her favorite and always would be.
She missed him so much. He had been the only one to have ever truly seenherfor who she was. And he hadlistenedto her when she told him about her grandfather and his friends being really bad men.
Riely was sure that was what had gotten him killed.
He wasdeadnow. And it was all her fault.
She tucked her phone beneath her mattress, and cried herself to sleep again.
17
The call camein just as Madison was ready to clock out for the night. The alarm—the one that Chief Marshall had installed years ago that only activated when one of theirownwas in danger—sounded. Madison dropped her bag back in her locker, slammed the locker shut and almost ran. To the bullpen. Where someone would tell them what to do next.
They had operating procedures in place for when somethinghappenedto one of their own.
It had been going off too often lately. It hadn’t even been ten days since what had happened to Heather and Powell.
If something major had happened, forensics would be needed. As head of the lab right now—that meant her.
It was going to be another long night. She just hoped the good guys wereokayout there tonight. Far too many times they weren’t.
She got to the bullpen behind K.J. Miller and Magda Journey. “What’s going on?”
“Not sure,” Magda said. “Just that choppers were called to Hughes Heights through Major Crimes. We have…injuries.Something to do with the OPJ case. Someone said they finally cracked it.”
They had been working to find the makers of that drug that had originated in Finley Creek for several years. And it was because of what had happened to Heather and Powell that they had finally had somenames.But…somethingbadhad happened tonight.
Madison just felt it. People were now running from every direction. Every lab tech that was available was right there, gathering around her. But there were still others she could activate.
“I’ll call in auxiliary forensics—at least have them on stand-by.”
“Not stand-by. This is going to be full active, I think,” Magda said, quietly. She usually was a very calm and composed woman.Nothingrattled her. Ever. She had worked at the TSP longer than Madison had, by a few years. She’d transferred into Elliot Marshall’s assistant the week he had taken the post. She was good at it, too. She kept everything running, when Elliot Marshall was being pulled in a million different directions.
There were people moving everywhere. Bryant Naylor grabbed Madison’s arm, gently. She turned to that beautiful man. It seemed like Bryant almost always knew what was going on around this place. “Word has it Major Crimes took a hard hit tonight. It’s our people on the choppers, Madison. I don’t know who—or if Acardi is even out there.”
Fear shot through her as she considered…
She hadn’t asked about Dom, but…she was worried. She wouldn’t deny it. He was out there somewhere, he usually was. And trouble tended to find that man. Sometimes she was convinced he went looking for it. Of course he did—it was a part of his job. And that…terrified her to even consider.
He could be hurt out there right now, and she couldn’t do a thing about it. That…terrified her to even think about.
“We need to get out there?” K.J. asked. She turned as Detective Dodson came in. Lila had a worried look on her face. She came straight to Madison and K.J. and Magda.
“Gunnar broke the OPJ case wide open,” she said, in a terse voice. Madison knew just by the look in her eyes that it was bad tonight. Really bad. “But there are serious injuries. Three from Major Crimes—just that I know of, so far. One casualty, deceased—civilian. Two suspects seriously injured, one apprehended. Lake is supposed to be calling me in ten with a more detailed update. But…from what I am hearing, it’s most likely Heather on the chopper. It’s a woman with Major Crimes.”
There were three women in Major Crimes—and two were there with Madison right now.
And that only leftHeather.
